It is quite a comparison, given that the latter pair are regarded among the best full-backs in world football, with Alba Spain’s first-choice left-back and Alves helping Brazil to the quarter-finals of the World Cup on the opposite flank.

But Nevin implied not that the players were equal to the Barca pair individually, but that they were used in a similar way.

Speaking to Everton’s official website, Nevin said, “There were a number of things that impressed me last season and the most obvious thing was the way the full-backs were utilised. David Moyes utilised them really well beforehand – Coleman would go up one side then Baines would go up the other. But under Roberto (Martinez) they both go at the same time.

“Barcelona is a good way of looking at it, and there are also a number of other teams, too. But you will notice the only teams doing it are the very top ones.”

So has Martinez got the Toffees’ full-backs operating as effectively as their Spanish-based counterparts?

Goals

Goal Assist

Key Passes / apps

Total Scoring Attempt / apps

Pass Accuracy

Apps

Mins

Seamus Coleman

6

2

1.3

0.83

88.5%

36

3,229

Leighton Baines

5

4

1.5

0.66

85.8%

32

2,839

Purely taking into consideration league performances for all four players, Coleman netted six times last season while Baines scored five. The two Everton men also set up a further six goals between them.

In comparison, the Barcelona pair scored just twice (both courtesy of Alves) although they outdid the Toffees duo by one in terms of assists, setting up seven goals in total.

There was not much to pick between the four when it came to key passes, with Baines (1.5 key passes per game) just getting the edge over Alves (1.4).

The Brazilian did however have a considerably higher shots-per-game average than any of the other three, while pass accuracy was as close between the four as one would expect from stars at two clubs who pride themselves on possession football.

Goals

Goal Assist

Key Passes / apps

Total Scoring Attempt / apps

Pass Accuracy

Apps

Mins

Dani Alves

2

5

1.4

1.2

87.3%

27

2,385

Jordi Alba

0

2

1.2

0.3

89.4%

15

1,195

Alba sat out much of last season with injury, which goes a long way to explaining why he failed to score or assist more goals. But when comparing performance-per-appearance, it seems Nevin may not have been wrong to compare the way Martinez utilises his full-backs to the way Barca do.

Having done that, Martinez's next job is to start to build a similar legacy on Merseyside.

Vincent Ralph

After graduating with a degree in English Literature, Vincent completed a NCTJ-accredited qualification in newspaper and magazine journalism in 2005. Shortly after, in a somewhat leftfield move, he began working at a secondary school in Kent. After eight years – the last four of which were spent as Head of Sixth Form – he began to write full-time, combining his love of football with his passion for the written word.Alongside his work for HITC Sport, he also writes film reviews for HITC Lifestyle… along with the odd music interview when fate allows.